Just So You Know

Danny, Tyler and I will be leaving for Georgia tomorrow (Friday) afternoon. The stress of packing and preparing for this last-minute trip is not being handled very gracefully by me; I'm a nervous wreck. I can't count how many times I have had to stop and ask for God's mercy and forgiveness. I will feel better once we're on the airplane headed home where we can be close to those we need to be close to right now.

The visitation for Jason will be on Saturday from 5 p.m to 9 p.m. with a special family viewing time beginning at 4 p.m. I can't believe that Steve, Judy, and Andrew are going to have to be in that funeral home for five hours or more next to Jason's casket. I can't think of a more difficult or painful experience, and I continue to covet your prayers on their behalf. Jason's funeral service will be on Sunday at 2 p.m. with his burial following. It feels surreal to even type out the funeral arrangements for a cousin I never remember not having.

I have received information through second-hand sources that when the medical examiner called Steve and Judy today to let them know that Jason's body was being released, he told them that nothing Jason had ingested had caused his death. The only suspicious thing he saw was that Jason's lungs were enlarged. It will be 8-10 weeks before the pathology results will give us more information. It is hard for me to imagine that we are going to bury Jason without knowing why he died in the first place. I think that makes this even more difficult for everyone involved. The "whys" are innumerable.

On Monday, Danny will fly back to San Antonio, and Tyler and I will fly to Virginia to visit Julie and Hendley. I have been looking forward to this trip for months now, and I hope it will bring some needed joy into my life after an emotionally charged weekend.

For now, I have to go pack for myself and Tyler and try to get some sleep tonight.

If I am able to blog while I am away, I will. However, don't count on anything for about a week.

Thank you for all of your prayers. They are certainly felt and appreciated.

God bless every one of you. I love you more than you know.